Foodie Friday: Go Paleo with Your iPad

If the Appstore is any indication, Paleo is a hugely popular diet trend right now. I counted 35 iPad apps on the subject, not including magazines. Dedicated to eating as our ancestors did during the Paleolithic era, this eating plan focuses on hunter/gatherer-style foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, free-range meat and poultry, fish and seafood plus seeds, nuts and oils.

Paleo goes by a host of other names, including the caveman, primal and ancestral diets. The goal is the same for all: cut out inflammatory foods created by the agricultural revolution, like dairy, legumes, cereal grains, processed foods and refined sugars. The payoff? Consistent energy levels, a healthier body and reducing the risk of chronic health problems like heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

The Appstore may have a ton of apps to choose from, but if you’re interested in going Paleo you’re going to need solid advice from experts and delicious recipes to keep you going. Keep reading for the best apps to help you go primal.

Nom Nom Paleo

Nom Nom Paleo is a great app for beginners who want to learn more about how to incorporate Paleo into their lifestyle. The app was created by Michelle Tam, whose award winning blog Nom Nom Paleo has established her as an expert. Launch the app and you’ll discover 128 recipes and a month of meal plans to get your routine started. In depth guides on Paleo living and stocking your kitchen are full of great pictures, useful information and Michelle’s fun personality.

Nom Nom Paleo is fun and full of expert information. The app has a fantastic sense of humor.

I especially like this app because it’s not a one dimensional cookbook in app clothing — it embraces the functionality of mobile with smart shopping lists for ingredients and equipment, the ability to buy stuff you’ll need online through the app and step-by-step photograph guides. Michelle believes that you’ve got to put your own personal spin on Paleo so that the lifestyle works for you. This may mean you’re a “lacto-Paleo” who can’t live without butter or you occasionally indulge in a bowl of white rice.

Every recipe includes beautiful step-by-step photos.

Michelle’s sister, Fiona Kennedy, is a professional chef, and helps her create recipes that are delicious and modern. Foodies will appreciate that there is a whole section of the app dedicated to sous vide cooking and smart flavor boosters (like Paleo sriracha) to pep up simple grilled meats and fish. If you only download one of these apps, Nom Nom Paleo is the one to go for.

Caveman Feast – Paleo recipes

Caveman Feast – Paleo Recipes is a partnership between George Bryant of the popular blog Civilized Caveman Cooking and Abel James of Fat Burning Man. There’s no fluff with this app, just a sleek, smart looking interface and straightforward recipes. The beautifully designed app features 200 recipes, 48 of which are beef dishes. Recipes are designed for the busy home cook – simple and easy to execute.

Caveman Feast – Paleo recipes is a beautifully designed app with simple, easy to cook recipes for your Paleo repertoire.

A whole section dedicated to caveman breakfasts includes fun, seasonal dishes to keep things interesting, like German Apple Pancakes and Pumpkin Spice Latte. If you enjoy baking or have a sweet tooth, this app is a great recipe source, with 46 grain-free sweet treats. The app also gives users the opportunity to access bonus materials, like a Paleo lifestyle video, eBook, interviews and podcasts.

Nourished – Grain – Free Recipes

Nourished – Grain – Free Recipes was created by Michele Spring, a mom seeking to provide families with recipes appropriate for special diets like Paleo, gluten-free or GAPS. What makes this app unique is that the recipes are sourced from a handful of carefully selected, highly prominent grain-free food bloggers. This means creative dishes, attractive food photos and delicious recipes from people who are passionate about their food.

Filter the 114+ recipes to fit your special diet by selecting the appropriate icons.

Filter recipes in the app by tapping on icons to omit dishes with ingredients like eggs, nuts, dairy, sweeteners, etc. The only dairy used is butter/ghee and the only sweeteners are unprocessed honey, maple syrup and coconut nectar, but the app offers alternatives for those on special diets. Each month the app adds new recipes from a featured food blogger, which keeps the inspiration coming all year long.

The Whole Pantry

The Whole Pantry is more than recipes, it’s an inspiring healthy lifestyle app. Gorgeous photos, vibrant recipes and a handful of articles written by experts in yoga, nutrition and holistic medicine come together for an app that inspires you to live your best life now. Recipes are all vegetarian, gluten free and Paleo friendly with a focus on eating whole, unrefined foods.

Stunning food photography and fresh, modern recipes will keep you going Paleo when the pasta cravings kick in.

The app includes 44 recipes, which are all plant-based, a nice change from the meat-heavy apps like Caveman Feast. Another great thing about this app is instead of feeling like you’re cutting all the good delicious things from your diet, it focuses on promoting health by using ingredients with properties that improve sleep, aid digestion, balance moods, aid weight loss, heal your skin and reduce allergy symptoms. This makes you feel like your really doing something good for yourself.

Conclusion

Going Paleo doesn’t mean you have to be completely orthodox, and these apps are a great example of the different ways to incorporate the best of ancestral eating into your diet. It’s not about losing weight, rather, fueling the body with nutritious, wholesome foods and reducing the risk of illness. When it comes to Paleo apps, you get what you pay for. These apps range from $2.99 to $5.99, but they deliver high quality recipes and sound advice in return. Your iPad is a great resource for going Paleo, from the grocery store to the kitchen stove.